This is the analysis of Harvard Business School case.

1. Colgate-Palmolive
Company:
The Precision
Toothbrush
Harvard Business School Case

2. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
InAugust1992,
Colgate-Palmolivewas
poisedtolaunchanew
toothbrushinmarket.

3. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
CP’sfive-yearplanfor1991to1995emphasized
newproductlaunchesandentryintonew
geographicmarkets,alongwithimproved
efficienciesinmanufacturinganddistribution
andacontinuingfocusoncoreconsumer
product.

4. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
THE U.S
ToothbrusH
Market

5. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
ProductSegments
In1980s,industry
executivesdividedthe
toothbrushcategoryinto
twosegments:
Value
Professional

6. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
ThreeplayersdominatedtheU.S.toothbrushmarket

7. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
MajornewproductsintheSuper-PremiumToothbrushSegments:-

8. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
In1980s,Children’ssegmenthad
seenavarietyofnewproducts.
By1991,however,newproduct
introductionswereagainfocused
ontechnicalperformance
improvements.

9. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
ConsumerBehavior
CP’sconsumerresearchindicated
thatconsumersofthebabyboom
generationwerebecomingmore
concernedaboutthehealthof
theirgumsasopposedtocavity
preventionandwerewillingtopay
apremiumfornewproduct
addressingthisissue.

10. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Brand choice was based on features , comfort and
professional
recommendations
Mainreasonswhyconsumersusedspecificbrands:-

11. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Consumersegmentationoftoothbrushusers:-

12. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Competition
Major competitor
brands

13. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Majorbrandsandproductprices

14. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Marketshareandclassoftrade:1991

15. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
AdvertisingandPromotion
InToothbrushcategory,itwashard
toincreaseprimarydemand,sonew
productstendedtostealfrom
existingproducts.
Incaseoftoothbrushes,increased
advertisingandpromotionseemed
tofuelconsumerdemand.

16. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Themainmessageineachbrand’sCommercial:-

17. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Advertisingandprom.expenditureforColgate-Palmolive toothbrushes:1989-1992E($intho):-
Principaltoothbrushmediaadvertisingexpenditureandshareofvoice:1991-1992E:-

18. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
ColgatePlusTelevisionAdvertisingCopystrategiesandexecution:1985-1992:-

19. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
ThePrecision
Marketing
Mix

20. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Productdesigningandtesting
InLaboratoryexperiments,
researchersusedinfrared
motionanalysistotrack
consumer’sbrushing
movementandconsequent
levelofplaqueremoval.
CPdevelopedauniquebrush
withbristlesofthreedifferent
lengthsandorientation.

21. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
In 1989,CP had established a task force compromising executives from R&D and marketing,
dental professionals , and outside consultants . The task force had force had five goals:-
Understandingthevaryingtechniquesconsumersusedwhenbrushingtheir
teeth.
Testingthebetween-teethaccessofdifferenttoothbrushdesigns.
Establishinganindextoscoreclinicalplaque-removalefficiencyatthegumline
andbetweenteeth.
Creatingabristleconfigurationandhandledesignofferingmaximumplaque-
removalefficacy.
Determiningthroughclinicalandconsumerresearch,theefficacyand
acceptanceofthenewtoothbrushdesign.

22. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Positioning
Precisionwasdevelopedwiththe
objectivesofcreatingthebest
brushpossibleandassuch,
becomingatop-of-therange,
super-premium product.
Itwasestimatedthat,asa
mainstreambrush,withthe
broaderappealofbeingthemost
effectivebrushavailableonthe
markets.

23. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Branding
Nametestswerecarriedoutbythetaskforce.Alternativenamestestedincluded
ColgatePrecision,ColgateSystemIII,ColgateAdvance,Colgate1.2.3,Colgate
Contour,ColgateSensation,andColgateProbe.TheColgatePrecisionnamewas
consistentlyviewedmorefavorably-itwasdeemedappropriateby49%of
conceptacceptorsandappealingby31%.

24. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
CommunicationandPromotion
Fourconcepttestconductedamong400adultprofessional brushusers18to54
yearsofage,wererunduring1990-1991.Consumerswereexposedtovarious
productclaimsinprototypeprintadvertisementsandthenaskedaboutthe
likelihoodthattheywouldpurchasetheproduct.

25. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Copies
of
The
advertisement

26. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Resultsoftests:-

27. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Another Important tactic
was to use dentists to
sample consumers since
professional endorsements
were believed important to
establishing the credibility
of a new brush.

28. Colgate-Palmolive Company: The Precision Toothbrush
Steinberg believed that Precision was more than a
niche product line extension and that the proven
benefits to consumers represented a technological
breakthrough. Precision was positioned , branded, and
communicated to consumers after proper analysis.
Market mix was developed that enabled Precision to
reach its full potential.

29. Disclaimer
Created by Ritish Gupta, APJ Jalandhar during a
marketing internship by
Prof. Sameer Mathur ,IIM Lucknow